A Geologist Concerned about Rocky Understanding of Science

Myrna Killey, a retired geologist, is concerned when she hears about things, such as the teaching of creationism in public schools, that demonstrate that many people don’t grasp the role of science and what research can teach us about our world. But she was encouraged when she was involved in public outreach activities at the Illinois State Geological Survey and saw that many people are interested in learning and could understand scientific principles if the information is communicated to them in the right way.

Her colleagues at the Survey introduced her to Science News decades ago as they passed the magazine among the staff. After waiting one too many times for her turn, Killey got her own subscription many years ago. She says she has always been interested in many facets of science and that the publication “helps me learn what’s going on in geology outside of my particular specialty, and in the sciences generally.” She especially appreciates how almost every article includes a counter-view, emphasizing that many scientific studies do not hold the last word on the issue.

However, to her, Science News has become more than just a way to keep herself informed; it can also contribute to the vital work of engaging the public in science. “Science News does such a wonderful job of explaining science in language that most people, scientists or not, can understand,” she says. This motivated her recently to establish a bequest to SSP to help the Society continue its work reporting on current developments in science. “I just felt that Science News has already shown that it can do this kind of job, so let’s support it.”